Prof. Gjalt de Jong

Professor Gjalt de Jong : sustainable entrepreneurship in a circular economy

Professor de Jong is the Founder, Chair and Head of the Department Sustainable Entrepreneurship in a Circular Economy and Director of the Centre. His societal impact mission/vision/strategy aligns with the observation that the impact of global challenges requires a redesign of production systems and societies towards inclusive circular economies. In a circular economy, the intertwined relationships between economic, ecological, and social virtues are balanced and preserved. Sustainable entrepreneurs are key in the transition towards a circular economy because they generate new products, new services and new business models that contribute to solving the grand soci-etal and transition challenges.

Together with his senior staff members, Professor de Jong designs and implements new research lines concerning the design/implementation/management of success-ful sustainable entrepreneurship and the transition towards a circular economy because (i) it educates a new generation of leadership in the MSc program Sus-tainable Entrepreneurship, (ii) it generates fundamental and applied academic knowledge by means of transdisciplinary/interdisciplinary/multi-method research and sustainability/circular economy research lines, and (iii) it inspires and supports existing/new sustainable firms and circular citizenship by means of masterclasses, policy instruments/regional monitors and public debates. The research lines encompass studies concerning (combinations of) the design (leadership and strategy), implementa-tion (organization, alliances, context and policy), and management (multiple value performance) of sustainable enterprises and their impact on the transition towards a circular economy.